Muscovy keepers share your pics!

[Going Quackers]

Oh no not again, must be something in the water.

Must be. I could be over reading but i have seen enough, i should trust my instincts with it. I did ask if anybody knew, whether the drake of the duck decide the gender or is both? trying to figure this out.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Beautiful pictures everyone!

I have been trying to find the candling schedule for scovies, and lock down date. I just ran across a clutch of eggs (13) that my 3 girls were hiding behind the air compressor!

They suspiciously "stopped laying" a few days ago, so I started looking. Any advice is appreciated, thanks!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Beautiful pictures everyone!

I have been trying to find the candling schedule for scovies, and lock down date. I just ran across a clutch of eggs (13) that my 3 girls were hiding behind the air compressor!

They suspiciously "stopped laying" a few days ago, so I started looking. Any advice is appreciated, thanks!

Candle around day 7 and not sure on lock down since my girls do that part but 35 days is usually how long before ducklings.I understand Muscovys are pretty hard to hatch in bators so please update progress. or are you going to let your girls hatch?

 

[Going Quackers]

Beautiful pictures everyone!

I have been trying to find the candling schedule for scovies, and lock down date. I just ran across a clutch of eggs (13) that my 3 girls were hiding behind the air compressor!

They suspiciously "stopped laying" a few days ago, so I started looking. Any advice is appreciated, thanks!

hmm.. do they appear like they are going back to them? or is this just a try out, i found a few eggs in the dog house a week ago but they were just playing no real seriousness.

I don't incubate myself, as i don't own a brooder... gee, what a safe approach lol so i cannot offer advice on that, i use my ducks, they are more clever than me.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
Thanks! I am trying to do the incubator right now, it still very cold here. If spring ever arrives I will let the girls do the honors tho, long time to tie up an incubator! If I have any luck, I will post pics! I have hatched geese so am hoping its about the same.

 

[oddcluck]

Wow, 22. Wonderful clutch! AbBee01, do you have Paddle in the pen to keep him away fm Squeaker and her brood?

Question: If you only have one Drake do you need to worry that he will hurt or kill the ducklings? I've been thinking(and hoping) that if there weren't any other drakes around to compete with then you wouldn't need to worry that the male would hurt his own ducklings.

I have not had a Muscovy drake kill his own brood. I have, howeve, had rival drakes, no matter the breed, kill ducklings of other drakes if given the opportunity. This has only happened when the ducklings were young, still in the fluff stage. Last year I confined my hens with their broods in an outdoor run until the ducklings were mostly feathered out before I let them go out with the rest of the flock. The drakes would claim their space but otherwise didn't bother the ducklings.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have not had a Muscovy drake kill his own brood. I have, howeve, had rival drakes, no matter the breed, kill ducklings of other drakes if given the opportunity. This has only happened when the ducklings were young, still in the fluff stage. Last year I confined my hens with their broods in an outdoor run until the ducklings were mostly feathered out before I let them go out with the rest of the flock. The drakes would claim their space but otherwise didn't bother the ducklings.

Very good idea.. and

 

[oddcluck]

I have incubated a few batches of Muscovy eggs, from different sources, with results of only about 50% hatch. With the rouens and pekins the hatch was 80-85%. I'm guessing the issue is with the humidity. The bigger problem I had was with losing ducklings between the ages of 5-14 days. A bird guy said to feed them mealworms so I did that with a little more success but was still loosing 90% of them. Then I had a hair-brained idea and went to the local farm supply store and purchased 5 ducklings that they had on hand. Can't remember for sure but I think they were rouens. Anyway I put them in the brooder box with the muscovy ducklings and I didn't lose any more moscovies! Turns out that the other ducklings showed the muscovies how to eat and drink, even though I had put their bills in the food and water several times beforehand. Can't say that this one batch was dumb because I have had to do this with any other batch I have put into brooder boxes. If at all possible moms are going to incubate and brood their babies from now on, it's easier and they do a much better job!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have incubated a few batches of Muscovy eggs, from different sources, with results of only about 50% hatch. With the rouens and pekins the hatch was 80-85%. I'm guessing the issue is with the humidity. The bigger problem I had was with losing ducklings between the ages of 5-14 days. A bird guy said to feed them mealworms so I did that with a little more success but was still loosing 90% of them. Then I had a hair-brained idea and went to the local farm supply store and purchased 5 ducklings that they had on hand. Can't remember for sure but I think they were rouens. Anyway I put them in the brooder box with the muscovy ducklings and I didn't lose any more moscovies! Turns out that the other ducklings showed the muscovies how to eat and drink, even though I had put their bills in the food and water several times beforehand. Can't say that this one batch was dumb because I have had to do this with any other batch I have put into brooder boxes. If at all possible moms are going to incubate and brood their babies from now on, it's easier and they do a much better job!

Yes they do and not near as much work for us either.

 

[Frank Phinster]

When I watched my newly hatched muscovy ducklings, they appeared quite clueless to me when it came to food. Even when they were already three days old they tried to eat straw. Usually my ducklings learned in one day that they were supposed to eat the pellets, even without a mother to guide them.

And it's more fun to watch how a mother takes care of her own offspring

It might be that muscovies, unlike other breeds which have lost their motherly instincts have not been selected for hardy eggs that can cope with incubator conditions.